Walther CCP Review [2023]: Worth it?

The name Walther might inspire images of James Bond’s favorite pistol, but today we are going a bit more modern. We are looking at the gun a James Bond in 2022 might carry, the Walther CCP. 

Why the CCP? 

The CCP in Walther CCP stands for Concealed Carry Pistol, and Walther aimed to take on the part of the market that is decidedly underserved. Walther designed a pistol for those with weaker hands and reduced strength. You might point to the S&W EZ series as competition, but Walther released the first variant of this gun in 2014. 

Those with arthritis, weak hands, and similar ailments often have to utilize rimfire calibers or guns in weaker calibers like 32 ACP or 25 ACP. Walther wanted to provide those shooters with a 9mm firearm that was easy to handle for these shooters. To do so, they rejected blowback and short recoil designs and went with a gas-delayed blowback system. 

A small port in the barrel directs gas from a fired round to slow down and delay the slide opening. This makes the weapon reliable and effective while also reducing recoil and making the CCP a real kitten to handle. Not only is recoil reduced, but the hand strength required to manipulate the slide is greatly reduced. 

Like most modern guns, the CCP utilizes a striker-fired system and a polymer frame. In accordance with the guns at the time, the Walther CCP utilizes a single stack 8 round magazine and comes in both 9mm and 380 ACP. To be clear, we are reviewing the 9mm variant of the CCP. 

Specifically, the M2 model made take down a lot easier. I’ve owned both guns, and the tool required takedown of the original CCP was a huge hassle. The M2 model greatly simplifies things and greatly improves upon the CCP. 

Walther CCP Model Series 

This particular pistol we are reviewing today is only one part of the three pistols. Here’s the entire lineup:

The Walther Concealed Carry Pistol – Our Take

Marketers and engineers notoriously don’t get along. Marketers often hype up a specific feature so much so that the engineers bear the brunt of the blame when it doesn’t quite do what marketing promised. So does the gas delayed system delivers a softer recoil impulse? Is it the SoftCoil that Walther says?

I’m happy to report that the Walther CCP isn’t just marketing talk. The difference between the CCP and Walther’s other single stack, the PPS, is considerable. The CCP features a much less snappy recoil impulse that’s pleasant and soft. The difference is quite clear, as is the difference in force needed to rack the slide. The CCP presents minimal resistance and makes racking a slide easy and safe. 

The Walther CCP grip allows for a handful of handgun and a nice high grip. The trigger guard undercut, and tony beavertail allows for a comfy, high grip that doesn’t beat your hands up. A higher grip allows for more control, and you can maximize that recoil reduction. While it might not be as soft recoiling as a full-sized pistol, the difference is apparent. It’s one of the more shootable subcompacts on the market. 

The Little Fella 

Walther is a lot like CZ. They seem to understand how the human hand works and how to design a gun for such a hand. They make firearms that are very ergonomic, and the CCP is no different. It’s almost like a miniature Walther PPQ in the grip. 

It’s very comfy with slight humps and a nice texture to keep the gun secure. The manual safety is mounted to the frame and easy to sweep on and off. Like most little guns, my fat thumbs pin down the slide lock unless I pay close attention to where they sit. 

The slide is lightweight, and front and rear serrations make it easy to manipulate. The big magazine release is an interesting choice, and I think the ambidextrous European-style trigger guard release would be a benefit to this gun. However, the button works fine, and most Americans want the button. 

One minor ergonomic grip comes from big hands and reloading. The lip and pinky rest on the Walther CCP magazine will pinch my hand as I shove it in the gun. My hands hang over the edge of the grip just so, just enough to get pinched by the magazine baseplate. 

Ringing Steel 

Ooh boy. I’m not a fan of the cheapish feeling plastic sights on the Walther. They leave a lot to be desired but admittedly could be worse. As for sights, they work. You’ll ring steel and hit paper. They are a simple 3-dot configuration that works well enough. I can drop round after round into the black of a B-8 target at 15 yards without much difficulty. 

At 25 yards, I can score easy headshots on silhouette targets. Two-inch groups at 25 yards are achievable. The little gun benefits from a fixed barrel, and it shows. Shooting fast and accurate with double taps or failure drills. The Softcoil recoil impulse does a great job of reducing recoil to make that accuracy possible. 

I don’t care for the trigger. It’s not heavy, but very long and a bit spongy. The reset forces the trigger to go all the way back to the front, which is quite the pull. I’m not sure why Walther, who created the fantastic PPQ trigger, did this. 

Luckily that’s my biggest complaint. The Walther CCP even does well in the reliability department. The gun eats and eats without much complaint. I have yet to run into an issue with the gun. I did have some issues with Winchester White Box that were consistently failing to feed properly. Upon close examination, 6 out of 50 rounds had a slightly longer overall length and were likely dragging inside the mag. 

So, in the end, it’s a decent 9mm – decent enough that it did make my list for some of the best 9mms on the market. So, if you haven’t seen that, be sure to check that out and see which ones got better grades over the Walther CCP.

Walther CCP Pros and Cons

Shootability	For a small, single-stack subcompact, the Walther CCP is a very nice shooter with a reduced recoil system that works and works well.	A+
Reliability	The Little CCP chews through ammo of all types, including FMJ, JHPs, and even steel-cased. It just needs to be properly loaded!	A
Ergonomics	Ergonomically the grip and design are solid. It’s easy and comfy to shoot most of the time. I took away one point from the pinched reload and the fact my thumbs pin down the slide lock.	B
Accuracy	Despite the long trigger pull and reset, the Walther CCP proves to be an accurate shooter. The fixed barrel and lower recoil help translate the CCP into a practically accurate pistol.	A
Value	It’s 2014, the price point was average, but in 2022 the single stack CCP seems a bit high priced at 500 dollars or so. In a day and age of micro compacts, single-stack 9mms are a bit better than value-priced carry guns.	C

Our Grade

B+

Reviewed by Travis Pike

Reader’s Grade

B

Based on 12 Reviews

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The Walther CCP uses an interesting gas-regulated blowback system that helps reduce recoil, improve performance and ensure reliability. Beyond that, it’s a solid little pistol that performs well but could be priced better. 

Walther CCP 9mm Ammo

Walther CCP Starter Pack

If you’ve decided to pick up the Walther CCP, or found another firearm that suits your needs, there are some bare essentials you’re going to need to pick up in order to maximize its potential and your safety regardless of if it’s your first firearm or not.

• Gun Cleaning Kit: Otis All Caliber Elite Range Box on Amazon or build your own personalized cleaning kit with premium components.
• Shooting Glasses: All it takes is one piece of rogue hot brass, and you’ll learn the importance of shooting glasses. But not all glasses are built the same. See our recommendations for the Best Shooting Glasses.
• Hearing Protection: Firing a gun without wearing proper ear pro can be very dangerous and detrimental to your hearing. Find out the best hearing protection for you in our full length review.
• Storage: Check our our article on the Best Biometric Gun Safes
• Targets – If you’re wanting a great resource for shooting practice or zeroing your optics on your optics rifle or pistol, download our FREE Sighting in Targets below.

Upgrades and Accessories

Caring for your Walther CCP

It’s critical not only to keep your guns secure, but also to understand how to care for your firearms properly. We’ve located a fantastic video below on this subject.

Important Links and Manuals